Bar coding is a generic term for a method of marking an object with a machine readable image that includes information about the object. The term “bar code” is commonly associated with an image that consists of multiple parallel lines (bars) arranged in a row that is commonly printed on labels and used for product identification.
Early bar codes are read by a reading device in a linear fashion (one-dimensional or 1-D) by converting relative line thickness and/or spaces between lines into numeric or character information. The most common use of bar codes is for UPC (Universal Product Code) tagging of objects. An object with a bar code, such as a UPC code, may be scanned by a reading device, which identifies the code and converts it into usable information. For example, the code may be used to retrieve information about the product such as a product description and/or a price. Generally speaking, bar codes require sizable space on the label, include large design constraints, and have information capacity constraints.
Two-dimensional (2-D) bar codes may provide additional information capacity by storing information in a second dimension. 2-D bar codes typically include a fixed border shape (generally rectangular) and are often aesthetically unappealing arrangements of black ink displayed in random abstract representations.
Many products include bar codes that are located in prominent locations on the product, such as on a magazine cover or box of prepackaged cereal. A considerable amount of time and money is spent to enhance the look and appeal of products while maintaining product functionality. In addition to products, many tickets include prominently displayed bar codes, such as tickets for entertainment, travel, or for other purposes.